Chivas returns from Mexico trip

Red-and-White wins and loses on week-long journey south

March 22, 2010

Jeffrey King

MLSnet.com Staff

Chivas USA resumed practices at The Home Depot Center on Friday morning
after a week-long preseason trip to Mexico. The Red-and-White wasted no
time in getting back to work, playing small sided-games and working on
fitness.

The trip to Mexico saw the team play two preseason games as the club
continues to prepare for the 2010 MLS regular season.

"It was a good trip," said striker Justin Braun. "I think we were pretty
happy with the first result, and although we maybe could have done
better with the second game, we played well as a unit and are really
starting to gel as a team."

The Red-and-White's first match was a 3-1 victory over Mexican second
division team Irapuato on Feb. 13. Two goals from Maykel Galindo led the
way for Chivas USA.

"That first game was a big result for us," said Chivas USA head coach
Martín Vásquez. "Irapuato is a good, well-established team. We had to
play them in their home stadium, in front of 15,000 fans, on a field
that was not so great. I'm proud of our guys for getting the job done
and never complaining."

Chivas USA then battled Mexican second division side Universidad de
Guadalajara on Feb. 16. After falling behind in the 33rd minute, Justin
Braun drew the Red-and-White even 10 minutes later, but U de G. rallied
for a late goal to take the match 2-1.

"We used the second game to give everybody a chance to play," said
Vásquez. "It helped give us a sense of who can really help our team for
the coming season as we continue to evaluate our roster."

The Red-and-White have now scored 15 goals in five preseason games,
which is welcome news for a club that scored the lowest number of goals
in the Western Conference in 2009.

"I think a lot of [our new offense] is because of Martín [Vásquez],"
said Braun, who has two goals so far in 2010. "He really pushes us to
move forward and take our chances. It's also true that we have a lot of
guys who are hungry and want to score goals."

Chivas USA continue their preseason Saturday with a scrimmage against
National Premier Soccer League side San Diego Boca FC.

"It will be a really different opponent," said Braun. "The Mexican teams
like to play a slower, more possession-based game. Now that we're back
here [in the U.S.], I expect the team on Saturday to play a more
MLS-type style.

"We're all excited to keep playing and keep improving," he continued. "I
think we're really starting to click and we want to continue that
momentum into the regular season."